Controller worked combined local control positions during heavy traffic activity.

Attributes
ACN	154238
Time
Date	199008
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dvt
State Reference	AZ
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dvt
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller non radar : 8
ASRS Report	154238
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This facility has 2 local control positions: 1 for south runway and south air traffic area, other for north runway and north air traffic area. I was required to work sustained heavy traffic using combined local positions. Some aircraft were denied entry into the air traffic area, while others make 360's on final waiting for a space to put them. Other aircraft were issued go around's since full ATC services could not be provided. Frequencys were oversaturated which required numerous messages to be repeated further adding to the frequency congestion. If personnel were not available, I could accept this situation; however, the controller in charge was available to work an operational position merely watch the traffic deteriorate and made no attempt to decombine the overloaded local positions. Aircraft safety and service suffered.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR WORKED COMBINED LCL CTL POSITIONS DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC ACTIVITY.

Narrative: THIS FAC HAS 2 LCL CTL POSITIONS: 1 FOR S RWY AND S ATA, OTHER FOR N RWY AND N ATA. I WAS REQUIRED TO WORK SUSTAINED HEAVY TFC USING COMBINED LCL POSITIONS. SOME ACFT WERE DENIED ENTRY INTO THE ATA, WHILE OTHERS MAKE 360'S ON FINAL WAITING FOR A SPACE TO PUT THEM. OTHER ACFT WERE ISSUED GAR'S SINCE FULL ATC SVCS COULD NOT BE PROVIDED. FREQS WERE OVERSATURATED WHICH REQUIRED NUMEROUS MESSAGES TO BE REPEATED FURTHER ADDING TO THE FREQ CONGESTION. IF PERSONNEL WERE NOT AVAILABLE, I COULD ACCEPT THIS SITUATION; HOWEVER, THE CTLR IN CHARGE WAS AVAILABLE TO WORK AN OPERATIONAL POS MERELY WATCH THE TFC DETERIORATE AND MADE NO ATTEMPT TO DECOMBINE THE OVERLOADED LCL POSITIONS. ACFT SAFETY AND SVC SUFFERED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.